Why Your Office Interior Matters

Securing a shiny new office space is exciting for any business but if your office interior design doesn’t inspire your staff, you might need to make some changes.

From wall colours to lighting, to furniture and signage, there are many components that make your office unique. Get it wrong and you run the risk of a lacklustre workforce. Get it right and you’ll have a motivated workforce to help your company prosper.

Want to know why your office interior really matters? Read on to find out more.

Your Office Design Represents Your Business

The key thing to remember when planning your office fit out is that your decor has got to represent your business! If you don’t feel proud of your office, just imagine what your clients will think when they step into your space.

A strong office interior can act as an extension of your marketing. If a prospective client walks into your office and sees clear company branding, tasteful decor and a thriving workforce, then you’ve instantly increased your chance of making a sale.

At the end of the day, your commercial office fit out is an opportunity to showcase what your business does best.  

So, if you’re a graphic design company why not create something bespoke for the walls? An eye-catching mural is sure to capture your client’s attention.

Perhaps your business is all about sustainability and helping the environment? If that’s the case, show that you’re serious about what you do by adding plenty of greenery and sustainable design features.

Your Office Colours Influence Staff Mood and Behaviour

Your office colour scheme may be affecting your staff more than you realise.

The right choice of colours can boost morale, inspire creativity and lower stress levels while the wrong choice of colours can inhibit productivity and make it harder for staff to focus.

To ensure that you’re making the most out of your colour scheme, it’s important to use colour carefully. So before committing to a colour palette, think about what you want to achieve.

If your staff are struggling to stay alert, consider pops of bright, bold colours such as orange and red. These colours have been found to have a greater effect on attention levels when compared with cooler colours such as brown and grey.

If you want your colour scheme to have a calming effect, why not add some green tones to your office? According to a study published by the Natural Library of Medicine, a green environment has been shown to significantly reduce heart rate, helping individuals to relax.

Bear in mind that your colours need to complement each other when used within the same space.

If your office is small, it’s best to stick to one colour scheme throughout to avoid unsightly colour clashes. If you have the luxury of a larger space, you have the opportunity to create colour schemes for different workspace zones.

Just be mindful of your colour placement, what might be suitable for one room might not work for another.

Your Office Furniture Impacts Upon Staff Wellbeing

According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, “up to 60% of the adult population can expect to have low back pain at some time in their life.”

When you consider the fact that most people spend up to seven hours a day sitting, it is essential that you offer your staff safe and comfortable seating that promotes good posture and reduces the risk of injury.

But what makes good ergonomic seating?

In an ideal world, each staff member would have an ergonomic chair specifically designed to suit them but, for most companies, this is simply unrealistic. As an alternative, it’s best to find chairs that are fully adjustable with attachments so that each staff member can set them at a height and position they find comfortable.  

And don’t forget your desks!

Some of your staff members may not want to sit at all. To give your staff a break from sitting, consider offering standing desks or desktop risers which will give them more flexibility. The simple act of switching from a seated to a standing position can be all that is needed to increase energy levels and reduce tiredness.

Your Office Lighting Affects Staff Happiness

If there’s one interior design element that has the power to totally transform your workplace, it has to be the lighting.

A report published by City University London highlighted that “lighting solutions tailored to the individual needs of workers have considerable potential for enhancing employees’ work satisfaction and enhancing retention.”

So, why aren’t we doing more?

In large open-plan offices, it can be tricky to provide lighting that suits every individual’s needs.

As a bare minimum, you should be considering different lighting styles to suit the types of tasks that your staff will be undertaking. It’s no surprise that areas dedicated to more detailed work will require a greater amount of light than those used for relaxation. So think about the purpose of your space before making your lighting choices.

If you want to give your staff more control over their space, why not consider the addition of dimmable lights within smaller meeting nooks and break-out rooms?

LED dimmable downlights are the perfect choice for quiet break-out spaces as they allow the user to adjust the amount of light to a level that suits them.

Installing these lights in independent working spaces gives staff the freedom to change the light settings as much as they desire without affecting other employees.

Your Office Interior Should Give Staff Flexibility

The office of today is more than just a place to work. Modern office design should prioritise a work-life balance and, in order to achieve that, you need to offer spaces for staff to relax and unwind.

When planning your office interior, talk to your staff and find out what they’d like to see in their ideal workspace. Perhaps your team would like a space to exercise or a games area where they can let off steam and socialise with their colleagues?

By providing suitable spaces to de-stress and engage in other activities, staff will not only feel valued but they’ll also feel refreshed and ready to take on important tasks when returning to their desks, this can all lead to higher employee retention rate.

What Next?

If your office interior could do with a little TLC, why not see our design checklist or speak to our design experts? At Mcfeggan Brown, we can help you to transform your office into an exciting, contemporary workspace that suits the needs of your business. Contact us today: 01275 464 220